Dharavi Redevelopment Project: Aaditya Thackeray is a 'puppet of urban Naxals', says city BJP chief Ashish Shelar

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Mumbai Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) President Ashish Shelar on Thursday challenged Shiv Sena (UBT) leader Aaditya Thackeray for a debate on the Dharavi Redevelopment Project and said that the latter has become the "spokesperson for urban Naxals."

Addressing reporters on Thursday, Ashish Shelar said that the Dharavi Redevelopment Project is a "necessity and a priority", adding that the Uddhav Thackeray-led party and Congress Mumbai chief Varsha Gaikwad are peddling lies over the revamp plan.

"Aaditya Thackeray seems to have become the spokesperson of urban Naxals. Without studying the subject [Dharavi Redevelopment Project] in detail, Aaditya Thackeray is speaking like an ignorant person. I have seen that these people have been trying to set a narrative regarding Dharavi and re-development work," Ashish Shelar said, slamming the Opposition.

Challenging Thackeray and Gaikwad for a debate on the project, the Bandra legislator said, "Uddhav ji and the people of his alliance: Aaditya Thackeray and Varsha Gaikwad, have started this false narrative regarding Dharavi. I openly challenge Aaditya for a debate. I want to inform him and Varsha that 70 per cent of the homes in the Dharavi Redevelopment Project will go to the Marathi people, as well as Muslims and Dalits. It is their rightful home, so why are Aaditya Thackeray and Varsha Gaikwad putting roadblocks by creating a false narrative?"

According to news agency ANI, the BJP Mumbai president said that the government survey to determine eligible and ineligible residents is still on.

"Right now, the government survey is still going on to determine eligible and ineligible residents. So far only around 20,000 structures have been surveyed. So how can Aaditya Thackeray claim that 7 lakh people will be sent out of Dharavi? Who gave him this number? Why is he misleading people?" Shelar added.

"He is talking about ownership. The entire ownership of Dharavi will be with DRP (Dharavi Redevelopment Projecr), which is a Government of Maharashtra agency. DRPPL (Dharavi Redevelopment Project Pvt Ltd) will construct the houses and hand them over to DRP," he said.

'Show document to prove 1,800 acres were given to Adani'

Shelar also challenged Thackeray to show a single document to prove that 1,800 acres of land had been given to businessman Gautam Adani, who is implementing the project, reported ANI.

"Aaditya Thackeray is claiming 1,800 acres of land has been given to Adani. I challenge him to show one document that proves this. If he does, I will quit politics. If not, he should retire from politics. Aaditya Thackeray does not know the tender, he has not studied the facts. He is a puppet of urban Naxals. DRP, not DRPPL, has been given land, and that too, only 540 acres. So where do these 1,800 acres come from? Did (Shiv Sena UBT spokesperson) Sanjay Raut give him that number?" Shelar said.

Meanwhile, Aaditya Thackeray took to social media platform X to attack the Maharashtra government. He alleged that the state government looted the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) and Mumbai and gave the money to their favourite contractors, news agency ANI reported.

"The sale of Mumbai by Eknath Shinde regime to his favourite builders and contractors. The @mybmc has now decided to auction. Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj Mandai (Market), Malabar Hill @myBESTElectric Receiving Station, Worli Asphalt Plant, To raise funds and make up for the loot of the Eknath Shinde regime," Thackeray posted on X.

The Worli legislator further said: "They state looted BMC and Mumbai, and gave the money to their favourite contractors, and now by auctioning these iconic and important land parcels, BMC will be left without funds and plots."

"For Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj Mandai, it is the Eknath Shinde and BJP regime that wants to drive out Kolis and fisherfolk out of Mumbai. We will oppose this. It has to remain and be made into a fish market and in the ownership of the BMC. For the other 2 land parcels, instead of giving it to a favourite builder, our government will consider it for police housing, govt quarters," he added.

He further said that Mumbaikars must unite beyond every division, and "defeat this regime that wants to drive out Mumbaikars from Mumbai".

"It's also possible that eventually Eknath Shinde and BJP will also auction the Hutatma Smarak," he said.

(With ANI inputs)